Second Chances
by SarahNotPlainJane
Summary: Maya Hart moves out of New York to make a new life for herself and Josh Matthews comes along for the ride.


Maya

I now appreciate nights like these the most. When the sky is so clear and the stars are incredible to look at. I can point out all of the constellations that I've memorized as a child. The air is so clean and feels refreshing to breathe into my lungs.  
There are no sounds of traffic and buzzing electricity out here in nature.

After I graduated from Colombia with my masters in Education and minored in Art History, I didn't really know where to go. I felt stuck in the city and wanted to branch out. I wanted to push myself. I decided that I wanted to take a road trip. I dragged  
Josh Matthews along with me so I wouldn't be alone. I didn't mean for him to absolutely drop everything and make a new life with me. That wasn't my original intention, but it happened.

Once Josh and I arrived in Colorado, I fell in love. I couldn't get enough of its beauty and I still can't. There is just so much to see and do here. So much life. It's so much different than New York City. My life for so many years. Josh and I settled  
in Denver, so technically I haven't quite moved from the city life. But Denver, Colorado is so much different than living in Manhattan.

I found an elementary school to teach Art at and I'm loving it. Josh found a job at the Community College of Aurora, working in the Psychology department. We've also adopted a two year old Bulldog named Maurice. He's our child.

Currently, Josh and I have taken a four day vacation to rent a cabin in Twin Lakes. We even brought Maurice along with us. It's slightly chilly October night, but I'm bundled up in a blanket as Istand outside, letting Maurice do his business. Josh  
is inside our cabin, getting dinner ready. I close my eyes for just a moment before I clean up after Maurice.

"Did you picture yourself living here? I mean, so far away from New York." I ask Josh as I drop my blanket on the couch. And as I walk into our kitchen for the next two days, with Maurice walking between my feet and I bend down to pick him up.

"I used to think I was going to either stay in New York, or move back to Pennsylvania. But coming here with you was the best decision I ever made. These past five years have been wonderful with you." Josh responds backand looks over his  
shoulder to give me an adoring smile.

I go to put Maurice down next to his food bowl and then go wrap my arms around Joshs waist and rest my head on his back. "I'm really glad you feel that way." I tell him and then I move to stand next to him to see what he's making for dinner  
and I go to steal a slice of red pepper on the counter. "Did I tell you that Riley is coming to visit in two weeks? I can't remember if I told you, or not." I mention as I go to take a piece of green pepper next.

"Yes, Maya you told me. Now, stop eating the peppers. Those are for our dinner. Why don't you find some plates, I am just about done with dinner." Josh tells me as he bumps my hip with his.

"Okay, okay. Two plates coming up." I say as I move over to the cabinet to take out the plates and then place them on the counter.

"Alright, dinner is ready." Josh says while he places the pasta on both plates, spoons on the sauce he made and then tops our dishes with the peppers he cut up and then he brings our plates over to the table.

"I shall get the wine!" I announce as I open the bottle of red wine that we brought along with us and pour two glasses.

"Come on, Miss Hart, come eat your pasta a la Matthews." Josh tells me in some kind of foreign accent.

"What was that?" I laugh as I set our wine glasses down.

"What was what?" Josh responds with a smirk as he goes to take a sip of his wine.

"That horrible accent you were just speaking in." I question him back as I dig into my pasta.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Josh tries to deny and Maurice barks twice.

"See, Maurice even knows your trying to fib." I tell him as I point my fork at him.

"I was trying something new." He replies with a shrug.

"You don't do that with your students do you?" I ask with an eyebrow raised.

"No." Josh laughs as he takes a bite of his pasta. "I do not." He adds with a slight shake of his head.

"Good, because you should never do that again." I seriously tell him.

"Okay, I won't." Josh agrees and then he looks over to Maurice. "What do you think, Maurice?" Josh asks our two year old Bulldog.

"Maurice, you don't have to answer your Daddy." I tell our puppy, who just cocks his head to the side as he looks at me.

"Maurice, you don't have to always listen to what your Mommy tells you what to do." Josh tells our puppy, who then turns his head to look at him next.

"No. Maurice, you always listen to your Mommy. Your Daddy is being exceptionally odd tonight." I argue back as I finish what's left of my wine.

"Woah, take it easy on the wine there, babe." Josh tells me after he takes the last bite of his pasta.

"I'm fine." I slightly slur with a wave of my hand.

"Yeah, you're fine alright." Josh scoffs while getting up from the table to wash his plate at the sink. "Maurice, I think your Mommy's drunk." He adds as he washes his plate.

"I am not. I'm just a little tipsy." I tell him as I go to finish my dinner. I then get up from the table and set my plate in front of Maurice so he can lick off what's left of the pasta sauce. "Good boy." I praise him after I give  
him a pat on the head before picking the plate back up.

"You spoil him too much." Josh goes to say with a shake of his head as he drys his plate.

"Oh, and you don't?" I challenge back as I go to stand at the sink to wash my plate and Josh gets our silverware and places them next to the sink to wash next.

"Okay, we both do." He admits and then steps away to go pet Maurice. "Because you are just too precious not to spoil." Josh baby talks to our puppy and Maurice barks a few times.

"And Maurice apparently agrees." I giggle while I wash our forks and then I just put them in the dish drainer. I then pick up the bottle of wine and refill my glass. "We should make a fire." I suggest as I make my way over to the couch  
and snuggle up in the fleece blanket with my glass of wine.

"You mean, I should make a fire." Josh calls back from the kitchen. "You know, I've taught you how to make fires, my dear." He tells me while walking towards the fireplace with Maurice right beside him.

"Yes, but I'm feeling lazy and I'm much too comfortable to move. Plus, you make better fires than I do." I tell him back and Maurice jumps up on the couch next to me and puts his head in my lap.

"Okay, but next one you're making." Josh tells me while getting the fire started.

"Deal, but don't make fun of me if it's not up to your standards." I say back as I take a sip of my wine.

"I would never make fun of your fires." Josh declares as he falls back onto the couch, causing Maurice to jump down from the couch.

"Oh okay, I'm going to remember you said that." I grin back at him.

"You go right ahead and do that." Josh murmurs as he leans over to kiss me.

After our lips part, I go to swallow a gulp from my wine glass and then move to lean my head on Joshs shoulder. Josh then wraps his arm around me to bring me closer to him. I then lean up to whisper "I love you" in Joshs ear and Maurice decides  
to jump back up on the couch and starts licking my face.

"Hold on a second, I have an idea." Josh suddenly announces as he jumps up from the couch.

"Okay." I draw out as I watch him disappear into the bedroom.

Moments later, Josh emerges from the bedroom with his iPhone in one hand and our portable speaker in his other. He then goes to place the speaker on the coffee table and set in his phone in the dock. The next thing I hear is "The Girl" by City  
and Colour fill the cabin.

"May I have this dance?" Josh asks me while holding his hand out for me to take.

"Oh my god, Josh." I squeak out as I let him pull me up from the couch.

He then puts my arms around the back of his neck after he pulls me up and then places his hands on my waist as he starts to sway us to the rhythm of the song. A smile spreads onto my lips as we continue to dance. The song "Down" by Marian Hill  
comes on next and I look up at Josh with an eyebrow raised as I stop dancing.

"What?" Josh laughs at my reaction to the change of music.

"Nothing, I just never heard you play this song before." I say to him as I drop back down on my feet.

"That's because it's your playlist." Josh tells me as he taps on my nose.

"But that's your phone." I reply with confusion as I point to it.

"It is." Josh smirks back.

"You made a playlist for me on your phone?" I question him further.

"Yes." Josh simply answers me with a nod of his head.

"Hmm." I hum back as I go to move towards where my wine glass is and I drink what's left of my wine. I then start swaying my hips back and forth to the beat of the song and Josh starts awkwardly dancing. I only just smile as I continue to dance  
to the song. I go to close my eyes and once I reopen them, I start to feel a little wobbly and my head starts to spin.

"Okay, okay. I think it's time for bed now." Josh tells me as he puts an arm around my waist and helps guide me into the bedroom and I don't even protest.

"Goodnight, cruel world." I dramatically breathe out as Iflop back onto the bed.

"Oh, no you don't. You need to lay on your side, Missy." Josh says to me, so I do just that and roll over onto my left side. "Don't you want to get changed first before you go to sleep?" I hear him ask me, but I'm already too tired  
to move.

"I'm okay." I mumble back and Josh just laughs.

"Alright, well I'm going to put the fire out, turn off the music and let Maurice out before I come join you." I hear Josh list off.

"Okay." I respond back and then burrow myself under the covers as I fall asleep.

* * *

 **Authors Note:** I hope you've enjoyed reading this! I just randomly came up with the idea for this story. I'm not sure if I like the title for it, but I think it fits. I know it isn't mentioned, but I'm going to say that Maya and Josh started dating  
around the time Maya got into her second year of college, so that would make it five years. I have lots planned for this story, so I really hope you like it! Well, please leave a review and let me know what you think! **:) Sarah**


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